PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Reliable Rail Service Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 21, 2023

Reliable Rail Service Act

This bill revises freight rail transportation policy to require rail carriers to provide transportation or service in a manner that meets the shipper's need for timely, efficient, and reliable rail service and fulfills the shipper's reasonable service requirements. (Current policy requires rail carriers to provide the transportation or service on reasonable request.)

It also establishes specific criteria for the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to consider when determining whether a rail carrier has violated its obligations under the policy. The STB must expedite any proceedings to consider a rail carrier's alleged violation of the policy.

The bill also specifies that information a rail carrier must provide on the carrier's rates and other service terms includes information on reasonable transit or cycle times consistent with the requestor's needs and requirements for the efficient and reliable receipt, transportation, and delivery of property.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] · D–WI

Committees

  • Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

  2. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Oct 13, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.2071 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.2071 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.2071 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.2071 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources